Paul continues on with a discussion of the people of Israel. He first cites all the wonders and glories they saw when they waked out of Egypt to freedom from slavery. He then reminds people that they went the opposite direction in that they grumbled complained and disobeyed God. They even engaged in immorality and other sins that God disciplined them quite harshly. The real problem with them is that no mater how much God came through for them they continued to make the same ‘mistakes’. Paul however never mentions the word mistake.

Instead, Paul reminds the Corinthian church that these things were written for their education and examples of what not to do. That as much as they may be tempted, there is always a way of escape. As much as they might be pressed to grumble, complain and disobey God, they have the means to not do so.

There are many lessons here but chief among them is that it is not a mistake if you keep repeating it. If you fall on your face the first time you might be able to claim ignorance or that you underestimated the temptation, but once that is don to repeat the same action knowing what will happen is no longer a mistake. Some think the result will be different this time as we can handle it. Others think that they now have a solution and others simply will not give up because of pride. Sin is like that. The pleasures of it often drive us to literal insanity. The thing is Paul’s point is that we are only victims of our own temptation. It is our will that gets us into trouble and there is no mistake involved most of the time.

Paul’s answer is to realize that there is always a way provided by God to escape. Understand that while we are free to do anything, not everything is profitable for us nor may it be edifying to the church. Remain silent for conscience sake. Finally, that one should always remember that one should always do things for the Glory of God.